Richard Rogers attended the Des Moines Black Lives Matter event at the Capitol on July 4. The group hosted an event to rally in support of Critical Race Theory and against “racist monuments” and to “smash white supremacy.”
Iowa State Patrol never intervened during the harassment. Democrat State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad actually asked Rogers to leave. The event was held on public property at the Capitol grounds.
Watch the video below the following Facebook post promoting today’s event. When Rogers approached Abdul-Samad, a BLM activist intervened.
“Don’t bring him into this. Don’t run to him. He is not going to save you,” she said in reference to Abdul-Samad’s presence. “Why would you do that? Another person using another person of color. Don’t you get it? Don’t you get it?”
After his phone was knocked out of his hand, Rogers was escorted away from the event. Rogers recounted what happened.
“It was a very peaceful event,” Rogers said. “Up until just a few minutes ago. Now I’ve got a lot of unasked for help exiting the event.”
Rogers added that he thought nobody would continue threatening violence in the presence of Abdul-Samad, but Abdul-Samad tried to distance himself.
“He was perfectly happy apparently to see me bullied and maybe assaulted,” Rogers said. “Somebody did knock my camera out of my grasp and knocked it to the ground. One of the black-clad security team when Abdul-Samad walked away.”
State patrol officers also asked Rogers not to return to the public protest taking place on public property.
“No, it’s alright sir. Is there any way we could pry try to avoid that area,” a trooper asked.
